At least 26 people were killed and dozens injured in forest fires that ravaged 14 districts in northern Algeria on Wednesday, the interior minister said.
Kamel Beldjoud told state television that 24 people were killed in the fire in El He Talf, near the Tunisian border, and two more in Setif.
Setif's civil protection agency said her two women, a "58-year-old mother and her 31-year-old daughter," were killed in the town.
Further east in Souk Arras near the Algerian-Tunisian border, people were seen fleeing their homes as fires spread before firefighting helicopters were deployed.
An earlier update said four of his people had suffered burns at Souqualas, and another 41 of his had trouble breathing. According to media reports, 350 residents were evacuated.
No current figures are given for the number of people injured in fires in other areas.
Police have closed several roads as a result of the fires.
"He has 39 fires in 14 Wilayas [administrative councils]," said the civil protection agency, with El Tahrf the most affected, with 16 ongoing fires. pointed out there is.
Helicopters used buckets to drop water on the fires at his three wilayas, including Souk Ahras.
Since the beginning of August, 106 fires have broken out in Algeria, destroying more than 2,500 hectares of forest.
Beldjoud said some fires were caused by humans.
Wednesday's toll brings the total number of people killed in wildfires this summer to 30.
In Algeria he has 4.1 million hectares (10.1 million acres) of forest. Every year the northern part of the country is affected by forest fires and the problem is exacerbated by climate change.
Last year, forest fires in northern Algeria killed at least 90 people and destroyed more than 100,000 hectares of forest.
